12:47 a.m. - Shermer High School - Hallways

As we walked down to another corridor of the hallways, we were still in shock that we went all this way to break so many rules and defy Vernon just to go to John's locker and get marijuana. Man, why didn't I stay in the library like we were instructed? I kept thinking to myself.

Andrew, who walked beside me, turned to me. "You know that Vernon's not gonna take any excuse if he catches us." he said to me, "And I bet he's gonna go harder on you."

I turn to the wrestler as I kept walking. I could tell that he was still concerned about me still being new at Shermer. I don't blame him at all. With me being new here, not a lot of people fully view me. Vernon being Vernon, he's always on the lookout for those who he thinks is trustworthy in his eyes. He's practically a hawk! If someone were new to Shermer, and they had screwed themselves a lot, then Vernon would immediately recognize this person as untrustworthy and unreliable. If they were to continue with their irresponsible behavior, whether it was intentional or not, then they would get the shittier end of the stick from Dick. And that person, unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen, is me. I like how Vernon is pissed at me for starting a fight and books me the next available seat to detention, but does not give a crap of Mark Grindon's self-centered, narcissistic bullshit. It's like those two asshats might have something in common! Or could they be in a relationship?

I nodded my head to Andrew, half-heartedly. At this point, I might as well run away from home…

John turned to me and Andrew. "Alright here's the scoop: we'll cross through the lab, and then we'll double back."

"You better be right," murmured Andrew, "'Cause if Vernon cuts us off, it's your fault, asshole."

John gave Andrew a mocking smile, before turning back to see what was in front of him.

"What'd he say?" I hear Brian behind me ask, "Where are we going?!" Claire shushed him before he could complain even more.

We turned left. Walking to a T-shaped junction of the hallways, we walk passed the corridor, where something catches our eye and we see…

HOLY SHIT NO!

Vernon, with his back turned, was strutting right along the corridor. He was unaware of the fact that WE WERE RIGHT BEHIND HIM!

As soon as we saw him, we bolted forward to get out of his sight. We sprinted like there was a fire alarm going off and tried to find the nearest corridor to the library. As we progressed forward, we saw an arrow pointing back towards us, and a sign that said 'Library', underneath a bunch of arrows and texts. Instantly, we turned around.

We passed Allison, who was leaning against the lockers, overlooking the hallway Vernon walked. I peered over to see if he was there; he wasn't.

We all kept running and running throughout each and every corridor. We were trying to find our ways back to the library before Vernon, or anyone really, would discover our absence in the library.

I'm a dead bitch... I kept thinking. Andrew might be right. Vernon might go hard on me if he catches us all, and next thing that's gonna happen to me, I'm gonna get expelled! My life will be over!

We all saw a corridor, and as soon as we turned, we saw Vernon again! He was walking sideways at the hallway on the other side. Each of us skidded and immediately ran back the way we came from.

Good god! I thought to myself in a frantic hustle, Where the hell is the library?!

A couple more seconds of running, and we head to a t-shaped hallway corridor. We were about to turn there, until we see Vernon (again!) drinking from the water bubbler. I ran forward.

I reached another corridor, where I turned back and saw the rest of the group running the opposite direction. I wanted to yell at them where they were going, but I knew that Vernon was near (or any other staff member nearby). That would get me in trouble…

Welp… I'm on my own… I thought, feeling like I've lost this battle.

I took off to other hallways, trying to find my way back to the library. I felt like the others are gonna get mad at me for ditching them. At this point, I don't know what to do. Should I leave them, or should I go down with them, if they got caught? I don't know…

I run down a lot of other hallways, until I start to hear someone singing. Skidding and almost falling on my face, I land straight to the corner.

I'm a dead man now… Yes I am… I braced for the inevitable.

I look and see Carl, still wearing his walkman, mopping the floors. He was singing (offkey) another song, "He's burnin'... Fire in the Twilight! He's burnin'... turnin', to lead us, away!"

I started tiptoeing. I see that Carl is mopping the floors, his head turned away from me. I knew that if I made any sudden movement, I'd be caught and dead. I was bracing myself though. I was hoping that by some miracle, I'd make it past him and find my way back to the library.

As soon as I got halfway past him, he splashed his mop into the bucket next to him. He turned to the other side, not even noticing me (for some reason), and started mopping that part of the floor. He started singing some more, "Takin' a break, from the role of the everyday boy!"

I started tiptoeing again, but I went faster, hoping that he wouldn't notice me while he was doing his job. I peeked back to make sure he didn't turn his head towards me. And…

Thank god! I thought, as he kept singing, "The man who leads the way!", mopping the floors.

As soon as I was away from him, I bursted and ran straight throughout the hallways, running up a staircase. I was also frantically searching for the other guys. They're all gonna be screwed! Or just me…

Seconds of running throughout the really old, lameass campus felt like forever. I was still worried about everyone else, and where the hell they might be. I mean, Andrew was right! I'm practically new here, and by any chance, Vernon might catch me, and my life here would be cut short! I could call their names out, but my ass would be toast.

I turn to a long hallway, with several doors beyond. But from all the running, I had to stop for a few seconds to catch my breath. I felt like I was about to collapse. I started to wonder if I did in fact collapse on the floor. Vernon, Carl, or any of the others might discover me, get me to a hospital, and then Vernon would come to my bedside, and hand me a punishment for ditching the library. Life is just swell, isn't it?

Suddenly, I start hearing footsteps. I peer from a corner, and I see Vernon walking from the other end of the hallway. My heart starts jumping beats. FUCK! I wildly thought.

Immediately, I start speed-walking trying to find a door that would open up and get me to hide from the vice principal with horns. I tried the first door - locked. I tried the second door - also locked. I tried the third door - take a guess. I dare ya to!

I hear Vernon's footprints come closer and closer. There was one more door ahead of me. I started praying for both the good and bad. Three doors I tried to open, the fourth might or might not.

I sauntered over there, and… it opened up! As soon as it did, I swooped in. And as soon as I got in, the door quietly closed.

Vernon's footsteps were heard not from afar. I could hear him walking and walking. I took a couple of seconds to survey the room I'm in; a classroom with a few computers, and a printer. There was also a green chalkboard, with an unerased headline saying 'Study for World Geography test on Monday'. I was about to think of something, but I can't right now.

I heard the footsteps Vernon made get closer from the other side. Dear god! I better make it out okay! Eventually, he crossed.

Now I could hear his footsteps drift further away, until I couldn't hear them anymore. Phew! I'm in the clear!

I wait several seconds to make sure he was gone. Eventually, I open the door, and peer to see the empty hallway. It was all clear as crystals. I'm now well on my way back to the library.

As I jet out of the classroom and back into the hallway, I felt someone grab me by the back. Immediately, I knew it was Vernon. I didn't know what to do. All I did was yell, "Ack! I'm sorr-", but I feel my mouth get covered up by another hand.

I was forced around, and I saw Allison, Claire, Brian, and Andrew. That was when I knew that the person who was holding on to me was John. Happy to see you all here, guys… And also not caught.

"What's the matter with you?!" I heard John hiss at me, "Ditchin' us like that?" I turn around and see John, who was steaming steam at me.

"I-I'm sorry man." was all I could say, "I didn't mean to-"

"Quit horsin' around, new kid!" said John, "Just stick with us from here on out!"

Man… I thought to myself, I'm glad that I'm not in even more shit.

John and Andrew took off first, as I looked at the ones who were still staring at me. Two seconds later, we bolted after them.

And as I was running with them, I kept thinking to myself, Thank god it was John and the others that found me than Vernon, or any other staff member. It's good to be back.

We all kept hurrying around, turning left and right, running down a staircase. We turned right towards another hallway, but I saw a sign up above that points left to the library. Wrong way… I thought, nervously.

"Wait!" I hear John say as we kept running, "Wait, hold it, hold it!" he said again. We all slowed down as he pointed back to the direction back the other way. "We have to go through the cafeteria." he said.

Thank you! That's what I would say too! I thought.

"No, the activities hall!" Andrew argued.

"Hey man," John tried to reassure the letterman, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"No, you don't know what you're talking about!" Andrew fired back.

To my right, Allison squealed… for some reason.

"No, we're through listening to you!" Andrew stated to the burnout.

"Guys, I think he has a point!" I try to say, "I mean-"

"Aw, gimme a break, Tim!" an exasperated Andrew fired towards me, "You don't know jack! You and Bender will get us going 'round in circles again! I'm tired of this bullshit!" He took a few steps back, "We're going this way!" He turned to his side, but his head was directed towards the two of us, "You two go where you want, mother hens…" he murmured, before running that direction. "Come on!" he called out to us.

Brian and Claire followed him, leaving me, John, and Allison. John and I did nothing but stare at each other in disbelief. I knew that he was right in going through the caf.

Allison turned to us, angry for some reason. She stomped backwards, grunting with each step, before turning back to run with the others. What? You want us to put up a good fight against Andrew?

John and I followed suit, needless to say. I mean, we'd go and save our skins, but I guess it was better to stick with everyone else at all times. If they get caught, we all get caught. What difference would it make?

For the next minute or so, we kept running and running around campus some more. I felt like I was in a horror game running around the empty hallways with five other people. I started to wonder, Are we EVER gonna get back to the library in one piece?!

Eventually, we saw a sign saying 'Activities Hall ahead', and we bolted over. But something unfortunate cuts us off; an iron gate.

John and Andrew ran ahead to see if they could lift it up and get us all across. Yeah, like that would work… I sarcastically thought. Surprise surprise, they tried to shake it open with their hands, it didn't work.

"Shit!" exclaimed Andrew.

I turned to the sport-freak, with a sarcastic look on my face, "Nice goin', jagoff…" I say to him.

Andrew turned to me, steamed, "Like you'd do any better!"

Claire spun around towards him, "You fucking idiot! We shoulda gone with him and John!" she complained.

I chuckled a bit when she said that.

"Shut up…" I heard Andrew whisper.

"We're dead!" Brian complained.

I turned to him. And by the look in his eyes, it sounded like he was right. Boy oh boy, we're in for some of Vernon's thick skin. As soon as he sees us all, he's gonna go hardcore. He would put a dent in my file without any hesitation! He'd do it to ALL of us! I don't think there's any possibility we might survive this. I take in a heavy sigh, preparing for the inevitable.

Suddenly, I hear John say, "No. Just me."

We all turn to see him. We thought he was crazy out of his mind. "What?" I ask him.

"What do you mean?" asked Brian.

John turned to me. "Get back to the library!", he said, leaning his head towards mine, "And lead everyone the right way!"

I didn't know what else to do. I knew he was talking about going through the cafeteria. All I did was nod, hoping to go back the way he and I wanted to go through.

John turned to Brian, "And you," he took out his bag of drugs, "Keep your unit on this!" he shoved the bag into Brian's pants.

Shouldn't that even be illegal?

Without another word given, John rushed out. He started bellow-singing, "I wanna be an airborne ranger-" he kept singing lyrics I would not care to memorize, as he turned back left.

"He's gonna distract Mr. Vernon." said Brian, obviously feeling uncomfortable with the drugs in his pants.

"That's his funeral." a stoic Andrew stated, "Vernon's gonna bury the coffin by the end of today."

We turn to see the jock, offended and shocked he would say that. We knew that John took a moment to sacrifice himself for us all. How the holy fuck are you not getting it, Andrew?!

I sarcastically chuckle, "Yeah, okay sir…" I start to walk ahead of the others, still in disbelief with Andrew.

"What?" asked Andrew, "He's been nothing but trouble! He even teased you into having these seizures earlier!"

I spun around to the jock, "What about you, man?" I argued, "What could you have done in Bender's shoes?"

"Easy." he said, "I'd clean my ass up, and I'd get a fuckin' scholarship!" He caught up to me and had his head turned towards mine, "Besides, I didn't want to come along on this whole 'field trip', but of course, ya had to get me swayed!"

"Mmm-hm." I say.

"He has a point." Claire pointed out to Andrew, "Besides, we were all swayed."

"You seem like the perfect guy to take on Dick Vernon!" I say to Andrew, "Walk the walk, you go and make his pants shrivel!"

Andrew turned to me, still upset, "And piss away my chance for a scholarship?!" he asked, before holding up his left hand, "I'll pass on that, thank you very much!"

"Stop fighting!" I hear someone feminine shout.

Andrew and I turn to Claire, who, along with Brian, was looking at someone else. But she just looked at us and shook her head, as if she were trying to tell us that she didn't say anything. We turned over to see Allison, with her hands clenched into fists.

"Just. Get us back!" the dark girl grumbled.

We were shocked. Outside of her little introduction way back, this was the first time she has said something. Well, it looks like this girl did have a voice, I thought. Before, we saw her as a darkened, silent young woman who just did weird shit and had a wild imagination. She tried to take John's knife (which I took first), and then nearly got herself, me, and John expelled from Shermer. She stole stuff from a teacher's locker, and John's lock for his locker! I thought that she would grow up as an artist, a baseball catcher, or even a crazy chef! And she's the girl that Carl said that would grow up as a poet NOBODY would notice, and would get walked over all the time! But when she yelled at both me and Andrew to shut up, I knew that she had a voice. I knew that she'd care enough to try and shut us up so that we couldn't be in deeper shit than before.

Andrew and I looked at each other, and we knew that it was time for us to hightail it back to the library.

"Lead the way, Tim…" said Andrew, "Come on…"

I lead the way with everyone else on my tail. We started running back the way we usually went. As soon as we got to the spot where John and Andrew argued, I saw the sign that said 'Cafeteria up ahead'.

"C'mon." I say to the rest, "Let's go!"

I turn right on the corridor, but up ahead, I see a cross junction. I hear footsteps, and see Vernon running past the other hallways. "Where the fuck is he?" he murmured, talking about John. Surprisingly, he didn't notice us at the other end.

When his footsteps went further away, we all made it across, and headed through the cafeteria, navigating through all the folded-up tables and uncleaned messes on the floor.

Eventually, we passed the 'Man of the Year' plaque and found the entrance to the library. We made it! I thought, ecstatically.

As everyone else was heading inside, I could hear someone from a far distant yell, "Bender! Bender! Bender!"

I knew that Vernon finally caught him. I was concerned about what his fate was gonna be. I was hoping the very least he would get more detentions, but probably on the weekdays. But then I thought that maybe he'd get suspended, or even expelled! If that happens, his parents, his dad more likely, is gonna lynch him! I gulped to myself on the thought of that.

I feel someone tug my arm. I turn to see who that was - Claire! "C'mon, Tim." she reassured me, "He'll be okay. Hopefully…" I looked concerned, but she patted my back and gently pushed me in. "Let's just stay in here for now."

Claire and I walk back to our desks. And right now, I don't know what's gonna happen to him. He's been living through shit at home, he's gonna live through the dragon known as Richard Vernon. God, I could imagine the dude getting the flames from the red, angry bull… Gulp…